Horseshoe.



. 'P ATENTED JULY 24, 1906. W'. D. OBRIBN.

HORSESHOE. APPLICATION FILED D30. 22. 1905.

8 Ya; I v i I r p Alfomeyb I 7n: NaRRIS PETER: co., WASHINGTON, 9. c4

, provements in horseshoes, and, -particularly Fig 4 is a perspective view of a series of fas ITED STATES.

PATENT orrron.

H onsEsH oE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 24, 1906.

Application filed December 22. 1905. Serial No. 292.993.

To all whom it may concern: p I

Beit known thatI,WI AMD, OBRIEN, l a citizen ,of. the United States, residing at i Snow Shoe, i n the county of Center andState of Pennsylvania, havednvlented certain new and useful Improvements in Horseshoes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact descriptionof the; invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

. Myinvention relates to and useful inito the type provided with a soft tread portion: i

Theparticular object ofmy invention is to provide thesoft tread portion with a series of, fastening devices adapted to engage the iron shoe after: it; has been secured-to. the hoof,

whereby the cushion maybe securely hel thereon, .butmay be readily removed when wornout v k A further object is to soconstruct theimetal portion of the shoethat the fasteningdevices may; .be readily engaged therewith and 'pre vented from accidental displacement. In the accomplishment of this latter object I preferably countersink the fastening devices in .the metal s ho e,.-witht the result that there are no projecting portions to render their use objec tionable or dangerous. I q I I In order that my invention may be more thoroughly understood, I have illustrated the same in the accompanying drawings, and a full and exact description thereof is contained in the annexed specification.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved shoe completed. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the metal portion thereof. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the soft tread portion or cushion.

temng devices, showing the steel center employed. Fig. 5 is a vertical section through the cushion. Fig. 6 is a modification showing a slightly-different form of steel center or core. Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 4, showing a slightly-modified form of clip.

In the several views like letters of reference designate similar parts of my improved device.

A in the drawings designates the metal shoe portion of ordinary form and provided with the nail-holes a.

a, designates a series of grooves in the upper face of the shoe A or in the side adapted to lie nextto the hoof, andatand a3.designate continuations of the grooves afiand arelocated in the outer and inner edges, respectively. Q; q: .-..-.l. i L. B is the soft tread .portionorcushionof suitable thickness and corresponds in shape and size to the metal portion r C C are thefastening. devices, each comprising, preferably, a pieceof spring -steel .cor responding in ,widthto the grooves m.- .and- .iof suflicient length to be bent into a rectangular form having a portion. 0 adapted-tobesecured in the, cushion B ,1 the upright -,portion 0 0 .adapted to engage the grooves atan'd. a in the edgesof .the metal portion .and the portion 0 c adaptedztoflengage the grooves a The portions .0 .of the sprin -clips.jare-se cured in theoushion B in any esirablernane nerybut .thecushion is preferably formed around the same, i

. D is ametalcore of extending through the cushion and passingover the portions 0 of; .the. spring-clips Cu to prevent the cushion, from. being-.itorn from them. In Fig. 6 Ihaveshown aslight modi-.

fication of the core, which in. this instance is astrip of metal E, formed integral with the clipC. s

In Fig. 7. I have illustrated aslightly-rmodt fied form of clip, which in-this instance/has one of; the upright portionsc' (preferably the outsideone) hinged to :theportilori Claim? ;.In order to normally hold said hinged portion 0 in a vertical position, I provide an angular leaf-spring 0, having a portion 6 secured to the portion a and having the other portion 0 working in a stirrup or guide 0 secured to the portion a.

From the foregoing description the operation of'my device is obvious and as follows: The metal shoe A is first secured to the hoof in the usual manner, forming transverse slots (1 between the shoe and the hoof. The cushion is then secured to the shoe by springing the clips and inserting the portions 0 0 thereof into the slots (1, whereupon the portions 0 a will fit into the grooves a e With this construction there is no danger of the clips being accidentally disengaged from the shoe A, as the ends thereof are firmly held between the hoof and the shoe and there are no projecting edges to strike or catch upon stones or other irregularities in the road which would tend to loosen them, and consequently there is nothing to render their use dangerous to the animal wearing them.

It is obvious that when worn out the cushion may be readily disengaged from the metal ortion by inserting a suitable instrument etween the shoe and the clips to disengage the same, whereupon new cushions may be applied to the same metal portion indefinitely.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a horseshoe, the combination with'a shoe portion adapted to be secured to the hoof, of asoft tread portion provided with a series of spring-clips adapted to detachably en age said shoe ortion, substantially as descri ed.

2. In a orseshoe, the combination with a shoe portion adapted to be secured to the hoof and provided with a series of grooves, of a soft tread portion provided with a series of spring-clips adapted to engage said shoe portion and fit in said grooves, substantially as described. I

3. Ina horseshoe, the combination with a shoe portion adapted to be secured to the hoof and provided with rooves extending across its upper face and edges, of a soft tread portion, spring-clips secured to said soft-tread portion and provided with u wardly-extending portions adapted to ht into said grooves in the edges of said shoe portions and inwardly-projecting portions adapted to fit into said grooves in the upper face thereof, substantially as described.

4. In a horseshoe, the combination with a shoe portion adapted to be secured to the hoof, of a soft tread portion and spring-clips embedded in said soft tread portion and adapted to detachably engage said shoe por- .tion, substantially as described.

5. In a horseshoe, the combination with a shoe portion adapted to be secured to the hoof, of a soft tread portion, spring-clips in said soft tread portion adapted to detachably engage said shoe portion and a core for securing said clips in said soft tread portion, substantially as described.

6. In a horseshoe, the combination with a shoe portion adapted to be secured to the hoof, of a soft tread portion, s ring-clips in said soft tread portion and a apted to detachably engage said shoe portion, and a core extending through said soft tread portion and engaging said clips, substantially as describe 7. In a horseshoe, the combination with a shoe portion, of a soft tread portion, and spring-clips having portions embedded in said soft tread portion and portions for engaging the edges and upper face of said shoe portion, substantially as described.

8. In a horseshoe, the combination with a shoe portion, of a soft tread portion, springclips having portions embedded in said so tread portion and portions for enga ing said shoe portion, and a core embedded in said soft tread portion and passing over said embedded portions of said clips, substantially as described.

9. In a horseshoe, the combination with a shoe portion provided with grooves extending across its upper face and edges, of a soft tread portion, spring-clips having portions embedded in said soft tread portion and pertions for engaging the upper face and edges of said shoe portion and adapted to fit in said grooves anda core embedded in said softtread portion and passing over said embedded portions of said clips, I substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

' WILLIAM D. O'BRIEN.

" Witnesses:

WILLIAM S. BUDINGER, O. J. HARM. 

